Railway hopper car



March 9, 1937. w E WINE 2,072,996

RAILWAY HOPPER CAR Filed May 4, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT1 "orFlcE 11 Claims.

My invention relates to railway hopper cars and more particularly to the cross bearers for such cars.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a composite cross bearer of simple construction having substantially the same strength and rigidity as a cross bearer formed entirely of cast metal but which will be cheaper than such cross bearers and is generally more suitable for use as a repair part inreXisting car structures.

A primary feature of the invention consists in providing a cross bearer with a substantially vertical plate member extending transversely of the car above the center sill and with a cast metal reinforcing member overlappingly secured to one face of the plate member adjacent the center of the car,the outer ends of the reinforcing member being disposed inwardly of the sides of the car and being rigidly connected thereto by members bracing the sides.

Another feature of the invention consists in forming the reinforcing member of the cross bearer as a truss, the outer ends of which are disposed inwardly ofthe car sides and are connected thereto by braces.

A further feature of the invention consists in connecting the plate member of the cross bearer to the top of the center sill and in connecting the reinforcing member thereof to the sides of the center sill.

Other and more specific features of the invention, residing in advantageous forms, combinations and relations of parts, will hereinafter ap'- pear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of a railway hopper car showing portions of the cross bearer in elevation.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational View of the reinforcingY member of the cross bearer.

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the reinforcing member.

Figure 5 is an end view of the reinforcing member.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line E-B of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I indicates a center sill of conventional form having laterally spaced beams 2 and a top cover plate 3. Depending on opposite sides of the center sill are hoppers 4, the discharge ends of which are closed by doors 5 which are connected by a spreader or stiffener 6 to cause them to swing as a unit.

The cross bearer which, as is well known.

functions to support the center sill intermedn ate the body bolsters (not shown) of the car,

comprises a plate member 'I and a reinforcing member 8. The plate member may be advantageously of uniform depth extending continuously from one side ofthe car to the other above the center sill and is formed at its ends with flanges 9 for connection to the respective side walls I0 of the car. Along its lower edge, the plate is preferably formed with a substantially horizontal ange II which, whe-re it overlaps the top of the center sill, is rigidly secured thereto by rivets I2. It will, of course, be appreciated that, although the plate member is shown as extending continuously from one side of the car to the other, two or even more aligned plates may instead be used. y

The reinforcing member 8, which is preferably of truss form and may advantageously be formed as a single unitary casting, is secured in overlapping relation to one face of the plate member 'l adjacent its central portion. The reinforcing member is provided with a top chord member I3 which is rigidly secured to the plate member 1 adjacent its upper edge. Converging downwardly from the outer ends of the chord member which are disposed in spaced relation to the car sides are truss members I4 anddiverging downwardly from the central portion of the chord member are truss members I5. Adjacent ones of truss members I4 and I5 are integrally joined at their lower ends and depending downwardly from the respective points of juncture of the truss members are enlarged pad portions or the like I6 affording means whereby the reinforcing member may be rigidly secured to the sides of the center sill by suitable devices, such as rivets I'I.

Each of the truss members I4 and I5 is preferably of angle shape having one flange riveted to the plate member 'l and the other projecting laterally therefrom. The portions of the truss members adjacent the points they are riveted to the plate member may be conveniently enlarged, as indicated at I8. The reinforcing member may be'additionally rigidied by providing the lower edge of the top chord member with a laterally projecting flange I9 which is integrally connected to the laterally projecting rigidifying flanges of the truss members.

Diverging downwardly on opposite sides of the cross bearer are inclined floor sheets of the car whichpat their outer edges are formed with up?-A turned flanges 2l for attachment to the car sides. The upper ends of the floor sheets terminate in substantially vertical flanges 22 which are secured to opposite sides of the upper portion of the cross bearer. Overhanging the upper edge of the floor sheets and the plate member 'I to protect them from injury is a rgidifying bead or rib 23 formed along the upper edge of the top chord member I3. The upper surface of the rib is preferably rounded so that lading within the car will not be retained thereon.

Secured to the outer ends of the top chord member to connect the reinforcing member 8 to the side walls of the car are braces 24 which are preferably formed integrally with inside side stakes 25. Intermediate its ends, each brace is provided with a downwardly extending arm 26 which is integrally joined to the lower end of the associated side stake.

'Ihe lower end of each brace is bifurcated to provide laterally spaced portions 21 for receiving the adjacent portions of the top chord member, the plate member l and the flanges 2| of the floor sheets 29. The lower ends of the side stakes 25 are also preferably bifurcated for rigid connection to the outer ends of the cro-ss bearer and adjacent portions of the floor sheets.

From the foregoing, it will be perceived that a composite cross bearer of a minimum number of parts has been devised which, although being cheaper and lighter than a cross bearer formed entirely of cast metal, possesses substantially the same rigidity and strength of such cross bearers and considerably more strength than a cross bearer of corresponding weight formed entirely of metal plates or sheets. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the cross bearer is of such construction that it is readily adaptable to many different designs of hopper cars and thus it is capable of general use as a repair part.

What I claim is:

1. In a railway hopper car, the combination with the center sill and the car sides, of a composite cross bearer including a substantially vertical plate member extending transversely of the car above the center sill and a cast metal reinforcing member secured to the center sill and to the plate member, the outer ends of said reinforcing member being spaced inwardly from the car sides, and braces for the car sides respectively secured to the reinforcing member adjacent the outer ends thereof.

2. In a railway hopper car, the combination with the center sill and the car sides, of a composite cross bearer including a substantially Vertical plate member extending transversely of the car above the center sill and a reinforcing member of truss form overlappingly secured to one face of the plate member adjacent the center of the car, the outer ends of said reinforcing member being disposed in spaced relation to the car sides, and braces for the car sides respectively secured to the reinforcing member adjacent its outer upper portions.

3. In a railway hopper car, the combination with the center sill and the car sides, of a composite cross bearer including a substantially vertical plate member disposed above the center sill and provided with a portion adjacent its lower edge rigidly secured to the top of the center sill and a cast metal reinforcing member overlappingly secured to one face of the plate member above the center sill and having downwardly extending portions respectively secured to the sides of the center sill, the outer ends of said reinforcing member being disposed in spaced relation to the car sides, and braces for the car sides respectively secured to the reinforcing member adjacent the outer ends thereof.

4. In a railway hopper car, the combination with the center sill and the car sides, of a composite cross bearer including a substantially vertical plate member disposed above the center sill, and a reinforcing member of truss form overlappingly secured to one face of the plate member adjacent the center of the car and having depending portions respectively secured to the sides of the center sill, the outer ends of said reinforcing member being disposed in spaced relation to the car sides, and braces for the car sides rigidly secured to the cross bearer adjacent the outer ends of the reinforcing member.

5. In a railway hopper car, the combination with the center sill and the car sides, of a composite cross bearer including a substantially vertical plate member extending continuously from one side of the car to the other above the center sill, and a reinforcing member secured to one face of the plate member adjacent the central portion thereof, said reinforcing member being of less length than the length of the plate member and being rigidly secured to the center sill, and braces for the car sides respectively secured to the outer ends of the reinforcing member.

6. In a railway hopper car, the combination with the center sill and the car sides, of a composite cross bearer including a substantially vertical plate member extending transversely of the car above the center sill and a reinforcing member of truss form overlappingly secured to one face of the plate member above the center sill, said reinforcing member having its outer ends disposed in spaced relation to the car side and being provided with a top chord member secured to the plate member adjacent the upper edge thereof and with truss members converging downwardly toward' the center sill from the outer ends of the chord member, and braces for the car sides respectively secured to the reinforcing member adjacent the outer ends of the top chord thereof.

'7. In a railway hopper car, the combination with the center sill and the car sides, of a composite cross bearer including a substantially vertical plate member extending transversely of the car above the center sill and having along its lower edge means rigidly secured to the top of the center sill, and a reinforcing member of truss form overlappingly secured to one face of the plate member and provided with a top chord member secured to the plate member adjacent its upper edge and with truss members extending downwardly from the top chord toward the center sill, said reinforcing member having depending portions respectively secured to the sides of the center sill, and braces for the car sides respectively connected to said top chord member.

8. In a railway hopper car, the combination with the center sill and the car sides, of a composite cross bearer including a substantially vertical plate member extending transversely of the car above the center sill and a reinforcing member of truss form overlappingly secured to one face of the plate member above the center sill, said reinforcing member having its outer ends disposed in spaced relation to the car sides and being provided with a top chord member secured to the plate member adjacent the upper edge thereof, the top chord member having a portion cverhanging the upper edge of the plate member, and braces for the car sides secured to the cross bearer adjacent the outer ends of the top chord member.

9. In a railway hopper car, the combination with the center sill and the car sides, of a composite cross bearer including a substantially vertical plate member extending transversely of the car above the center sill and a reinforcing member of truss form overlappingly secured to one face of the plate member adjacent the center of the car, said truss member having its outer ends disposed in spaced relation to the car sides and being provided with a top chord member secured to the upper edge of the plate member and with truss members converging downwardly toward the center sill from adjacent the outer ends of the top chord, and inclined oor sheets diverging downwardly on opposite sides of the cross bearer and secured to said top chord and to the upper edge of said plate member.

10. In a railway hopper car, the combination with the center sill and the car sides, of a. composite cross bearer including a substantially vertical plate member extending transversely of the car above the center sill and a. reinforcing member of truss form overlappingly secured to one face of the plate member adjacent the center sill of the car, said truss member being provided with a top chord member terminating inwardly of the car sides and secured to the upper edge of said plate member, and inclined floor sheets diverging downwardly on opposite sides of the cross bearer and secured to said top chord member and to the upper edge of said plate member, said top chord member having oppositely projecting portions overhanging the upper edges of the plate member and said oor sheets.

11. In a railway hopper car, the combination with the center sill and the car sides, oi a composite cross bearer including a substantially vertical plate member and a reinforcing member of truss form, said plate member extending transversely of the car above the center sill and said reinforcing member overlapping one face of the plate member adjacent the center of the car and having a plurality of truss members each provided with a portion secured to the plate member and a. laterally projecting rigidifying flange.

WILLIAM E. WINE. 

